


greek tragedy

by noodlevault



Category: Entry Point (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 05:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28987203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noodlevault/pseuds/noodlevault
Summary: An elaboration on the events of the Freelance Heists told from Dmitry's perspective.
Relationships: Dmitry Komolov/Anna Komolov
Kudos: 9





	1. message

**Author's Note:**

> Shoutout to @Government_Drone for beta reading this fic!

Dmitry’s lullaby for his daughter hasn’t changed since she was a baby.

“A clumsy little bear was walking through the forest; he was gathering pine cones and singing songs. A pine cone fell directly onto his forehead. The little bear got angry and stamped his foot!” His voice is soft; barely above a whisper. 

He smiles as he strokes his daughter’s wispy hair. She lets out a quiet yawn in response, closing her eyes and snuggling closer to her stuffed animal.

“Goodnight, Natalia.” Dmitry leans down, pressing a kiss to the six-year-old’s forehead.

“Goodnight papa!” Natalia laughs as her dad’s beard tickles her skin, eyes still closed as she sinks further underneath the blankets. 

“I love you.” Dmitry smiles bittersweetly as he lifts his head. 

“I love you too!” she exclaims in a heartbeat. 

Dmitry slowly closes the door to the girl’s bedroom behind him. His gaze shifts to his wife, Anna, standing beside the door expectantly. The silence is mutual between them as he walks up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Dmitry rests his head on Anna’s, rocking the two of them side to side. They hold each other in this manner for a while, Anna shifting only to tuck her head into the crook of Dmitry’s neck.

Dmitry is the first to break the silence.

“Please don’t worry about me.” 

“How can I not worry, Dmitry?” she says softly, her voice wavering ever so slightly, “You keep disappearing, and you can never tell me why.”

“I’ll tell you everything as soon as it’s safe for me to do so.” Dmitry murmurs. “Just know that I’m doing all that I can to keep you and Natalia safe right now.” The threat of the blackmail looms over him as he holds his wife closely. 

“I love you, Anna. I love you so much. ” He holds Anna close to his chest, as if she could slip through his arms if he wasn’t careful. She puts her fingers on his chin and tilts his head to the left slightly, pressing her lips to his cheekbone.

“Come home safe.” she whispers into his skin, then finishes the kiss.

He appreciates the moment with his wife while he can, but time was never generous to him. In fear of his family’s safety, and the consequences that would happen if he didn’t show up to the provided address on time, Dmitry slowly pulls away and leaves the other cold. He leaves their home with one last goodbye, then heads out to his car. 

The sun had set a while ago, and the only source of light came from the miserable street lamps that lined the road sporadically. The rain pitter-patters against the roofs of the nearby buildings, further obscuring the light. Dmitry packs only his laptop bag for the excursion- he would need it in case he received a new set of directions. The initial message that appeared on his screen in the morning still ate away at him. The encrypted message had read:

_DMITRY KOMOLOV: ARRIVE AT THE PROVIDED ADDRESS TODAY AT 22:00. YOU WILL BE ASSISTING AS AN ESCAPE PILOT AND GENERAL COORDINATOR IN A SERIES OF INSTRUCTED HEISTS. ABIDING BY MY INSTRUCTIONS WILL BE REWARDED WITH A GENEROUS SUM OF MONEY. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN THE EXECUTION OF ANNA KOMOLOV AND NATALIA KOMOLOV._

_THE BROKER_

A photo taken by someone standing outside of his house was attached. They had a gloved hand pressed against the window where Anna and Natalia were eating dinner, unaware of the stalker that was taking the photo.

Underneath the photo, the address referenced earlier was written in bold lettering. The rest of the message was filled with Dmitry and his family’s personal information for further leverage. 

Dmitry didn’t know what to expect of this. All he could do was drive. 

He arrives at 21:52. 

The building seems to be an abandoned warehouse. No signs of life are apparent as Dmitry walks inside; he’s the first one here. The only notable thing about the building is the television screwed into the wall. The display isn’t powered on.

The safety of a gun switches off behind him, and Dmitry freezes.

“SO YOU’RE THE BASTARD WHO-” he hears a familiar voice call out behind him. “Dmitry?!”

“Jade?” Dmitry hesitantly turns his head as Jade lowers her pistol. She seemingly appeared out of thin air; the trademark of a skilled assassin. 

“Were you also blackmailed?” Dmitry swallows, heart still pounding from being at gunpoint. 

Jade nods, not elaborating further. She paces the room, mumbling to herself, and Dmitry finds a corner to think. The message he received runs over and over in his head. He chews at the inside of his cheek, waiting for his wristwatch to hit 22:00. What would they have to carry out? What does this mystery broker have planned in the long run? Dmitry doubted it would be in their best interest, but he had no other choice.

After spending a few minutes in silence, they hear leaves crunch outside of the main entrance to the warehouse. They both whip their heads around at the noise; Jade’s hand jumps to the handle of her pistol. A familiar blonde-haired man and a person Dmitry doesn’t recognize walk inside.

“Harvey.” Jade narrows her eyes, upper lip curling in disdain, “What the hell are you doing here.”

“I could ask the same of you, Jade.” Harvey frowns, meeting her glare. His gaze shifts over to Dmitry. Dmitry looks away from the other man’s gaze; something about the way it studied him was unsettling.

“Did you set this up?” Harvey asks, raising an eyebrow at her. He seems to be somewhat indifferent to the situation, similarly to the mysterious person he brought along with him. 

“You think I’d invite you after that job in Vegas?” Jade sneers. Dmitry glances over at her. He didn’t know much about the story; Jade didn’t like talking about it. He does, however, recognize Harvey from before the whole ordeal. He seemed like an alright guy at first glance, but Jade always warned Dmitry about Harvey’s stubbornness and incompetence whenever he was brought up. 

“Yeah, I didn't think so.” Harvey says flatly, letting out a dry snort, “I doubt we'll get to see The Broker in person.” he changes the subject, gesturing to the television on the wall.

“I’d imagine it’s awkward to meet the people you’re blackmailing.” Jade remarks, looking between Harvey and the mystery person, “You guys got files too?”

“Yeah, hi. I’m, uh… a freelancer that got dragged into all this.” The freelancer’s words could hardly be considered an introduction.

“Great. Always nice to be mysterious.” Jade’s voice is dripping with sarcasm, “The man over there is Dmitry.”

Dmitry looks to the floor as all eyes turn on him as a force of habit. He offers a small wave to the freelancer and Harvey, not wanting his quiet nature to be mistaken for aloofness. 

“Looks tough, but he’s a teddy bear.” 

His cheeks flushed at the description. The stone floor underneath his feet suddenly seems much more interesting to look at. 

“He’s good though. He’ll be our getaway pilot.” Jade crosses her arms, looking back at the new faces. Dmitry lets out a quiet sigh.

“Wait, what? What do you mean?” The freelancer looks at Jade quizzically. 

“Try to keep up, sweetie.” Jade grumbled, “The broker brought us all together for a reason.”

“A pilot…” Jade gestures to Dmitry, who had lifted his head once more to meet everyone’s eyes.

“A world class sniper…” Jade holds a hand to her chest as she addresses herself with the egotistical title.

“A mediocre thief…” She then scowls at Harvey, seemingly resisting to spit at him on the spot. 

“And whoever you are.” She finishes her sentence with pointing a manicured finger at the freelancer.

“The broker has a job planned.” Harvey states, observing the three other people in the room. 

The television suddenly clicks on, drawing everyone’s attention. Text appears on the screen, reading off a short message. 

_I’m happy to see you can all follow simple instructions. You each have a reason for being here. Don’t forget it._

_Complete my tasks and we all get rich._

_Walk away and you lose everything._

_I’ll be in touch soon._

“Well. I guess we’ll all be working together.” The freelancer remarks as the television powers off again.

Dmitry feels sick to his stomach.


	2. lair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dmitry meets with The Armera. She has a unique perception of what counts as fair.

It’s been a whole month since Dmitry received the instructions from The Broker. However, there hasn't been silence from The Broker’s end since then. They made sure to clearly outline what they would be doing: A simple break-in to a security firm followed by… taking down several trucks in transit to steal their contents.

In the middle of the city.

Explosives involved. 

Dmitry didn’t want to think about the civilians that would be caught in the crossfire. 

Today was the day the freelancer on their team was scheduled to break into the security firm. Harvey and Jade were helping coordinate, but Dmitry had to run an important errand to ensure the success of their second heist. 

The Armera was a woman whom everyone in the cartel he worked in knew of. She was the biggest and best weapons dealer in the area, and for good reason. The sheer quality and variety of weapons and gear she sold was simply unbeatable; Dmitry knew he was going to have to turn to her for assistance eventually.

The only contact Dmitry has had with The Armera was the occasional transport gig to get weapon shipments to distant clients. He has never actually seen her in person, but today, that would change.

It’s dark when Dmitry arrives at The Armera’s supposed hideout. It’s a large barn in the middle of a broad pasture, only accessible through a single, lonely dirt road. Dmitry can see groups of cows huddled together in the grass. They don’t seem to be the only animal present- he sees two horses in the distance and goats scattered in the field.

He gets out of the car, slamming the door shut behind him. At the noise, a nearby cow gets up, waddling over to inspect the source. It cranes its neck over the wire fencing that divides the pasture and the dirt road, letting out a huff.

“Hi!” Dmitry whispers as the cow tosses its head in his direction. He reaches out a hand, letting the cow sniff it, then lowering it to scratch under the cow’s cheek. It lifts its head at the attention. He moves his hand upwards, ruffling the light brown tuft of fur on the cow’s forehead. It leans into Dmitry’s touch as he scratches, staring at him with beady eyes.

“Do you think this is a fucking petting zoo?” a woman’s voice catches Dmitry off-guard, “Those things are only here to make it look like I’m getting my income from a legal source.”

He drops his hand, looking over at the figure that emerges from around the barn. She’s barely visible in the darkness, the only source of light being a dim lantern she holds in one hand. 

“A-Are you The Armera?” Dmitry holds his hands by his sides, facing the woman. She nods at his question.

“Are you the helicopter pilot that transports my shipments? I’ve heard people describe you as a six-foot-five, broad-shouldered, bearded man.”

Dmitry looks at the ground.

“I guess you fit the qualifications, but I expected you to be a lot more intimidating.” The Armera frowns, “Dmitry, isn’t it? Follow me.” 

Dmitry swallows, following the woman as she slides open the barn door. There are overhead lights inside, casting a warm yellow light over the wide array of firearms, explosives, and gear in boxes all around the barn. They’re all piled in the hay-padded stables where livestock would go. Three guards sit silently in the barn loft with rifles slung over their shoulders watching Dmitry closely as he walks in.

“That’s… a lot of weapons.” Dmitry murmurs as he steps inside. Now that The Armera is in the light, he can finally get a good look at her.

Stature-wise, she comes to just above his shoulder. Glasses sit on her dark brown hair, slung in a low ponytail. A worn cardigan hangs on her toned shoulders over a black tank top. A holster holding a desert eagle sits on her tattooed upper thigh. A large patch of scar tissue covers the back of her shoulders and trails up her neck.

“It’s from an IED explosion; I got it while I was enlisted. You don’t have to ask now.” she remarks, catching him staring at the rugged patch of skin.

“Oh.” Dmitry looks away, embarrassed, “You used to be in the army?”

“Marine corps.” she turns to him, crossing her arms, “Here to get weapons for yourself along the way too?”

“I don’t use weapons.” Dmitry murmurs. The Armera squints at him, scanning him for any signs of a holster or hidden pocket. Her shoulders relax slightly, concluding that Dmitry wasn’t going to be a threat at all.

“So, what are you looking for, exactly? You mentioned on the phone that this was for some kind of coordinated heist.” The Armera references the call Dmitry had made to arrange their meeting at her hideout.

“We need an SR-25 rifle and a helicopter that can’t be traced.”

The Armera whistles, raising her eyebrows. 

“That’s quite the order. I doubt you and your buddies can scrape up enough to cover it.”

"We have the money.” Dmitry speaks up almost immediately, the blackmail still on his mind. _The faster this deal went through, the faster they would be done with this, and his family would finally be safe._

“Do you know how much of a hassle it is to get my hands on one of those rifles?” The Armera grumbles, running a hand through her hair, “And an untraceable helicopter, too. I have to contact a completely separate supplier when it comes to vehicles.”

“We have the money, I don't see what the problem is.” Dmitry reiterates, frustrated.

“I know you can pay the fee. But there are some things money can't buy.”

“What are you implying?” Dmitry asks cautiously.

“It's not often that I get approached by a small, coordinated group of people in crime. You and your friends are perfect candidates for a little task I've been needing to get done. _”_

Dmitry’s eye twitches.

“A police department stopped a shipment of my weapons. They haven’t traced it back to me of course, but I’d rather not let nine thousand dollars worth in cargo rot in their evidence locker. I just need someone from your team to go in there and take them back. Then, you give the cargo to me, and I sell you the things you requested for your heist. Consider it a trade.”

“We don’t have time for this.” Dmitry digs his nails into his palm. 

“You’re in no position to make adjustments to my offer, Dmitry. Deal or no deal.”

Dmitry knows that The Armera was right. There was no other dealer with the high-end equipment that they desperately needed. She knew this, of course, and took it to her advantage. He couldn’t just come back empty handed, so he had to accept.

“Deal.” he mutters.

“Glad to see we could work something out.” The Armera says with a hint of smugness in her tone, “I’ll make sure to send the details over shortly. When you’ve retrieved my shipment, I’ll tell you where to go from there.”

“I’ll be going now.” Dmitry exchanges a nod with her, then turns and leaves the barn. He shuts the car door behind him as soon as he gets in.

Dmitry then proceeds to bang his forehead against the steering wheel. 

* * *

The next morning, Dmitry finds himself in the same warehouse they met The Broker in. They’ve turned it into a designated meeting spot. 

“A heist.” 

“It’s more of a short task…” Dmitry murmurs quietly, trying to calm down Harvey.

“Your contact wants us to carry out a heist. So we can get the privilege of buying something from her.”

“We can’t get this equipment anywhere else, Harvey.” 

“Did you at least try to negotiate?” he stops pacing for a moment, looking over at Dmitry.

“Her offer was final.” Dmitry leans against the wall, staring at the floor.

“I should have known not to let a pushover manage a weapons deal.” Harvey mutters under his breath, continuing to pace.

Dmitry chews the inside of his cheek instead of firing back with an insult. It wasn’t worth it.

“How soon can we get the deal done?” Harvey finally asks.

“I’m hoping for a month or less.” Dmitry says quietly.

“This is ridiculous.” he grumbles. 

“I’m sorry.”

Harvey looks over his shoulder, not expecting Dmitry’s sudden apology. He squints, studying the dark-haired man.

“You’re a criminal like the rest of us, aren’t you? How have you made it this far with a temperament like yours?” 

Dmitry stays silent, gaze fixed on the floor, refusing to answer Harvey’s question. 

“Forget about it. Just contact the rest of us when the heist is ready to be carried out.” Harvey gestures to him. Dmitry nods, getting up to leave.

He can feel Harvey’s gaze bore into his back.


	3. hindrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unnecessary tension builds. The team does The Armera's bidding and gets their hands on the gear they requested.

A few weeks have passed. Today, the freelancer has successfully stolen The Armera’s stash of weapons from the police department.

Dmitry lets out a sigh as he lowers the radio that’s connected to the freelancer’s earpiece. They were almost caught a couple times, but in the end they exfiltrated safely. Dmitry dials The Armera in the back of the car.

“Hi, you’ve reached Harris Family Farm, Liz speaking.” the phone picks up, transmitting The Armera’s voice on the other line.

“We have your cargo.”

“Ah, that’s good to hear. I’ll send the address for the exchange shortly.”

“Have the payment ready.” 

“Same to you.” The Armera teases, then hangs up.

A few minutes later, Dmitry receives the address from The Armera, then shows it to Harvey, who finally relays it to the freelancer.

“Jade should come back soon.” Harvey starts the car that they’ve been coordinating from, parked in a garage facing the police department. Eventually, she reaches the floor of the parking garage they’re on, sniper rifle concealed in a bag slung over her shoulder. She gets in the passenger’s seat. Dmitry stays in the back.

For the first few minutes, the car ride is dead silent. Jade keeps her gaze fixed on the window, not bothering to look at Harvey. Harvey’s grip on the steering wheel is much stronger than necessary. Dmitry glances between the two of them, uncomfortable with the rising tension in the car. 

“You’re still mad about Vegas, aren’t you?”

_There it is._ Dmitry thought to himself.

“I hope you know that I despise working with you.” Jade spits, still not looking in his direction. 

“It was two years ago.”

“Doesn’t matter. I didn’t want to see you ever again. Your astronomical incompetence almost got us killed.”

“So I’m the incompetent one? I’ve never met anyone in my life more stubborn than you.” 

“That’s because I actually have a spine.”

“So being a liability is called having a spine now?”

_Just drop the subject._ Dmitry looks out of the window, trying to tune out Harvey and Jade’s argument. 

“YOU WERE THE FUCKING LIABILITY!” Jade whips her head in his direction, glaring daggers. 

_Just stop. This is going to lead nowhere._

“IT WAS ONE JOB. A SINGLE JOB. THAT ULTIMATELY DIDN’T AFFECT YOU AT ALL.” Harvey keeps his eyes on the road, clutching the steering wheel.

_Stop talking._

“THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, ULTIMATELY? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE COULD HAVE MADE?” 

_Stop it._

“IT WAS WORTH ONLY FIVE TH-”

Dmitry’s fist drives straight into the side of the car, the loud noise cutting off Harvey’s rebuttal. 

“THAT’S ENOUGH!”

The two in front of him jump at his interjection.

“MY ENTIRE FAMILY COULD BE KILLED AT ANY MOMENT IF THE BROKER CHOOSES TO DO SO. I HAVE TO GO HOME TO MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER EVERY DAY WONDERING IF IT’S THE LAST TIME I’LL SEE THEM, YET YOU TWO ARE BICKERING LIKE CHILDREN OVER AN IRRELEVANT JOB THAT HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO! ARE YOU EVEN TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY?!” 

His harsh yelling silences the entire car.

“IF YOU TWO CAN’T GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, THEY’LL BE DEAD BY TOMORROW.” Dmitry’s voice wavers as he begins to backtrack on his uncharacteristic words. “I-I’m sorry, it’s just so- frustrating...” 

Nobody talks after that. 

Dmitry was always an even-tempered person, but somehow, today was different. The pressure had been accumulating over the past two months; he was routinely reminded about his family’s situation without any way to ensure their safety. 

That’s why he had snapped. And he took the frustration out on the wrong people. 

He swipes at the stubborn tears beading in his eyes before Harvey and Jade can notice.

After what seems like an eternity, they finally reach The Armera’s rendezvous: A parking lot surrounded by defunct businesses. It looks like people haven’t been here in ages, save for the two cars that await them as they pull in. Harvey parks the car and gets out; the rest quickly follow.

“So, which one of you has the cargo?” The Armera asks as her stocky bodyguard opens the car door for her, letting her step out. Jade rolls her eyes at the sight. 

“They’re in the trunk of this thing. Also no, I’m not a cop.” the freelancer steps out of the police cruiser, still dressed in their disguise.

“I knew you weren’t. No cops patrol this area; they think it’s completely abandoned. They’re technically right, which makes it a great spot for making some quick exchanges.” The Armera walks over to the cruiser, “Now lets see.”

While The Armera unzips the bags, going through each one, Harvey prepares the cash payment packed tightly into a briefcase. 

“Yep, it’s my shipment.” The Armera zips the last bag closed, “And the money?”

Harvey brings the briefcase over to her, showing her the contents briefly. She nods, taking it from him.

“You’ve done your part, which is appreciated. Now for your payment.” she gestures to her bodyguard to start loading the bags as she swaps out the briefcase for a large, padded rifle case.

“The SR-25 you requested. This gun is no joke.” The Armera carries it over. Jade pauses her sulking momentarily, interested in the new weapon she would be getting her hands on. She sets the container down on the floor for Jade to inspect, then returns to grab one last thing.

“Key to the helicopter.” The Armera walks back with a jangling keyring in hand, passing it over to Dmitry, “The address of the hangar complex is on the back of the keychain attached to it. One of my buddies owns it, so just show him the keychain and you’ll be good to go.” 

He looks down at the keychain, where a drawing of a cow sits underneath the text ‘Harris Family Farm’. He had to admit, The Armera was pretty dedicated to her business front.

“Nice doing business with you.” The Armera closes the trunk of her car then gets in the passenger’s seat, joined by her bodyguard that seemingly doubled as a chauffeur. 

Dmitry stays silent as he watches her vehicle pull out and drive away. He looks over to the rest of them.

“Load everything into the van. You, leave the cruiser here and come with us.” Harvey commands the freelancer, still on edge by the conversation in the car earlier. Jade hoists the gun’s container off the ground, enlivened at the sight of the weapon. 

It reminds Dmitry of when he first met her.


	4. coercion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Dmitry first met Jade, it marked the beginning of an unexpected comradery.

_The strong, chemical-like odor stings Dmitry’s nostrils. The warehouse is stuffy, inhabited by only four other people._

_They’re preparing bales of cocaine for the truck scheduled to come by in an hour._

_Dmitry is the furthest away from everyone else, hidden behind a stack of pallets, preferring to do his work without the company of the others. They weren’t like him. They were in here by choice, and they were going to stop at nothing to climb the ranks of the cartel._

_Dmitry suddenly hears the distinct, sharp, snapping noise of a suppressed pistol, followed by the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. He jerks his head up, fear coursing through his veins._

_“WHO’S THERE?” one person working in the warehouse shouts, unholstering their pistol._

_Another snap. Another thump._

_Two more follow in similar fashion._

_This was not good. To further emphasize how ‘not good’ the situation was, he hears an unfamiliar voice speak up in a whisper._

_“Was that all of them? I told you not to get your information from an anonymous tip. The guy you’re looking for isn’t even in here.”_

_Dmitry goes pale, sandwiched in the corner between the pallets and the wall. He doesn’t even dare to breathe._

_“If you think about it, it’d be strange for a person in a position like him to be at a warehouse like this.” a second voice chimes in, “But it was worth a shot.”_

_“Search the whole building. He could be hiding somewhere, stay on guard.” the third voice of a woman commands the others, and from what Dmitry can tell, they all split up into different directions._

_The footsteps of leather boots approach where he hides._

_This was it. This was where he was going to die. He brings his knees up to his chest and clutches them tightly. He was shaking._

_A tall woman with dark braids turns the corner of the pallets Dmitry hides behind, pistol clasped in her hand. He shuts his eyes tightly, bracing for the pain that was going to come next._

_But it doesn’t._

_He feels a kick to the toe of his boot, and he opens his eyes to look up at her. She meets his eyes with an exasperated expression, and she seems to mouth something that Dmitry can’t quite catch. He’s still shaking, staring death herself right in her emerald green eyes._

_“Find anything? You’ve been standing there for a good bit.” she looks over her shoulder at the sound of the second voice Dmitry had heard._

_“I think I see someone outside of the window. Some bushes near that neighboring building are rustling too much for it to be an animal.” the woman in front of him lies, not missing a beat, “Can you two check it out? I’ll finish searching this part of the warehouse.”_

_“Whatever you say, Boss.” the two answer in unison, and Dmitry can hear two sets of footsteps leaving._

_“What the hell are you waiting for? Fucking run!” she whispers in a harsh voice, gesturing towards the side door of the warehouse, the opposite of where her comrades left from._

_Dmitry nods profusely, scrambling to his feet._

_“Thank you...” he whispers back before sprinting to the exit, heart pounding in his chest. He wondered if he would see the mystery woman who spared his life that night ever again._

* * *

_He’s on an early morning walk the very next day, trying to clear his head with the crisp air. A figure appears from around the corner ahead of him. Dmitry stops in his tracks._

_“I need to talk to you.” the woman that had saved him yesterday approaches him. “It’s because of me that you’re still alive. So, in return, you need to answer my questions about the cartel you’re in. That’ll make us even.”_

_He looks at her with a worried expression._

_“Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”_

_“What do you need to know?” Dmitry finally asks, keeping his hands by his sides._

_“Ettore Regio. Aleksandr Morozov. Do those names ring a bell to you?” with the way she pronounced the first name, Dmitry wondered if she was Italian._

_“They do- They’re the ones who oversee what drugs get transported where, for the most part. Only a couple rungs down from the boss himself.”_

_“Do you know where they’re headed next?” she asks. Dmitry racks his brain._

_“They’re usually private about their location… but I know they’ll be visiting one of the warehouses near the city tomorrow at nine in the morning- something about overseeing production. I can give you the address.”_

_“That would be appreciated.” she studies him for a moment, pausing, “I never got your name.”_

_“Dmitry.”_

_“Jade.”_

_They both briefly nod to each other before Dmitry speaks up._

_“I want to ask you something, Jade.” Dmitry murmurs._

_“Hm?”_

_“Why didn’t you kill me last night?”_

_The question is brutally straightforward. Jade thinks for a moment before responding._

_“When a real criminal is cornered, their first response is to fight their way out. They’ll go out guns blazing if it means they save their own skin. When I turned the corner, you had made yourself as small as possible despite your actual size, then shut your eyes tightly like a kid bracing for a needle at the doctors.”_

_Dmitry looks to the floor._

_“The inside pocket of your jacket, too. I was looking for some kind of holster on you, but all I saw was a happy family.”_

_He glances to the pocket Jade references. A polaroid photo of him, his wife, and his five-year-old daughter poke out from the fabric._

_“People being forced into a life of crime isn’t a foreign concept to me, Dmitry.” Jade says softly, “I know a good soul that’s been put into the wrong place when I see one. It’s why you don’t carry a weapon, isn’t it?” her question is sincere._

_“I’ve never hurt or killed someone. I never plan to.” Dmitry’s voice is barely above a whisper._

_“You’re a good man.”_

_He stays silent, not accepting the compliment. He knew it wasn’t true. He wondered how many families he had ruined with the drugs he transported._

_“I hate the cartel as much as you do. One day, I’ll dismantle it completely, and people like you can go back to their normal lives again.” Jade promises. The corners of her lips quirk up in a smile- the first Dmitry’s ever seen of it. He smiles back ever so slightly._

_“I… I hope so.”_

_“I’m sorry you had to meet me in a situation like yesterdays. From now on, let’s watch each other’s backs, since we’re even now. Deal?” Jade holds out her hand._

_Something about Jade was trustworthy. Dmitry could tell._

_“Deal.” They firmly shake hands, a sense of understanding between them._

_Ettore Regio and Aleksandr Morozov were found shot dead the next day._


	5. vicarious

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team finds out the true monetary value of the heist. Jade and Dmitry have a conversation.

“Twenty million dollars.” 

The crew is gathered in an out of use construction site, three days before their major heist. 

“What?” the freelancer looks at Harvey.

“Say the number again.” Dmitry can’t believe what he had just heard.

“Twenty. Million. Dollars.”

“Wow…”

“I did some snooping around. The trucks are hauling gold. Jade and I have been talking and…” he glances over to her.

“We’re taking it for ourselves.” Jade states. Dmitry looks at her in shock.

“What about The Broker?” the freelancer asks cautiously. 

“What _about_ The Broker?” Jade narrows her eyes at them, “If we hand over that gold, we’re dead. You’re a fool if you think otherwise.” 

Dmitry had never considered Jade’s words. Maybe he was the fool here.

“I’ve got a contact who can fence it,” Harvey says, looking between the three of them, “We’ll walk away with five million each.”

“I don’t like this.” Dmitry finally speaks up. The others turn to him expectantly. 

“Those files…” he murmurs, not meeting the eyes of his teammates. _‘FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN THE EXECUTION OF ANNA KOMOLOV AND NATALIA KOMOLOV’_ was explicitly stated in the message he had received from The Broker. It terrified him.

“Dmitry, you have to trust me on this.” Jade looks at him, expression softening, “This is the best chance of getting out. For you, and your family.”

He looks up at Jade. This was the woman who had been his only comrade for years and had never let him down once. Dmitry had to put his faith in her.

“...Okay.” He says after a moment of hesitation, “Let’s do this.”

After their team comes to an agreement about the change of plans, they linger around the construction site for further preparation before the heist. Harvey talks to the freelancer in private while Dmitry researches the flight path he would be taking to exfiltrate them. 

He feels a tentative hand on his shoulder. 

“You okay?” Jade asks. 

Dmitry shakes his head. Jade lets out a sigh.

“You should meet me for drinks tomorrow. Doesn’t have to be anything special. I just want to catch up with you; to have a little bit of normalcy before this heist.”

The offer sounded nice. Maybe that’s what Dmitry needed after these long, stressful, drawn-out months.

“Alright.”

“I’ll see you at seven, Dmitry.”

* * *

Dmitry arrives on time to the address Jade provides him the next day. It’s a secluded cabin in the forest, sitting at the top of a hill that overlooks the city in the distance. He gets out of the car to see Jade waiting for him outside of the cabin, pouring two glasses.

“Ah, you came! Beer? Whiskey?” Jade offers.

“Sorry, I don’t drink.” Dmitry glances to the side awkwardly.

“Right, right. Forgot about that.” she sets down one of the bottles, pouring a serving for herself, “I’ll get you a glass of water.” 

“Thanks.” Dmitry waits outside as she returns to the cabin, then comes out shortly with a tall glass of ice water that she hands over to him.

“C’mon, the view of the sunset is best over here.” Jade gestures for him to follow her, and they walk with their drinks in hand to the hill’s overlook. 

“I always was a night owl. The sunset was my favorite part of the day because that was when my day finally began. It’s comforting, in a way.” her voice is soft, face in a pleasant smile as she talks. 

Dmitry closes his eyes, the last light of the sun hitting his face. He takes a deep breath of the warm summer air.

“I proposed to my wife during a sunset. It was in a flower garden; the sun had hit us at just the right spot, making the flowers so, so vibrant. When that happened, I just knew that it was time for me to ask her.” Dmitry recalls the fond memory. 

“That’s pretty romantic, Dmitry.” 

“I love her. I love her a lot.”

They sit in comfortable silence, sipping their drinks and watching the sun disappear behind the horizon.

“I’m sorry for what happened in the car ride, by the way. I know Harvey and I are on somewhat okay terms now, but I never formally apologized to you. It was a stupid thing for me to do.”

“It’s fine, I didn’t really expect one…” Dmitry realizes how his words sounded, then quickly backtracks, “I-I mean, I was the one who yelled at you guys. I don’t think I deserve an apology.”

“If it makes you feel better, your yelling voice is really fucking terrifying.”

“That doesn’t help.” Dmitry frowns. 

“Well, your anger was justified, honestly.” Jade remarks, “I can’t comprehend how angry I would be in your position. When my life is threatened, it’s just another Tuesday. But when family gets involved…”

“People are sick.” 

“Mmhm.”

“Do you know how they’re doing? Your family, I mean?” Jade looks over to Dmitry.

“They’re safe as they can be at the moment; I make sure they’re comfortable at home. They don’t know about the…” Dmitry’s voice trails off, the message coming to life again in his head.

“It’s okay. I know what you’re talking about.” 

“I’m terrified, Jade.” Dmitry’s voice is barely above a whisper.

“I would be too. It’s unfair for your family to be targeted like this. But we’re almost in the clear, okay?”

“But what if The Broker finds out about the diversion and kills them?” the question is ugly. Dmitry had to get it out of his head.

“We’ll set a trap for The Broker, claiming we have their gold. They won’t know we’ve decided to sell it at that point, so once they show up, we kill them.”

“And if they sent in someone else to pick it up?”

“I’ll watch over your family until you can get them out of the city.” Jade states with a determined expression. Her answer is given confidently as if she’s been thinking about it for a long time. 

“...Thank you, Jade. I mean it.”

She smiles back at him. 

That was a funny thing that Dmitry had noticed about Jade- she wouldn’t express any emotion other than indifference or stubbornness until they were in private. But once Dmitry had gotten through the several walls she had built around herself, he discovered that she was such a complex, emotional individual.

“...I have a question, though.”

“Ask away.”

“Why are you doing all of this for me?” Dmitry looks over at her, a twinge of guilt in his eyes, “Actually, why _have_ you been doing this for me? Ever since we met, you’ve been helping me out this whole time.” Jade’s smile falls as the sun disappears completely. They’re left in darkness.

“...I want to see you make it out of this life of crime in one piece. I want you to prove that it’s possible. Because then that means there’s hope for a bastard like me.”

Dmitry swallows, not really knowing what to say.

“If I take all these extra steps to ensure one family, just one, is reunited at the end of all this, that would make me somewhat less of a shitty person.”

“Jade…” 

“I don’t want your daughter to go through what I had to go through, Dmitry.” Jade’s voice is low as she looks to the distant city, “She’ll turn into someone like me.”

“What you had to go through?...” 

“Oh, I guess I never told you.” Jade’s voice cracks for a moment, “My dad was in a similar situation as you when I was little, and… one day… he was just- taken from me. Just like that.” She snaps her fingers, not meeting Dmitry’s eyes.

“My family has been in shambles since then. That’s why I’ve been trying so hard to keep yours together. It would give me closure to see you reunited with them safely again.”

Dmitry tentatively wraps an arm around Jade, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. She’s tense at first, but then eases into the gesture. He can feel her tremble as she lets a few silent tears roll down her cheeks.

“We can combine our five million to get out of this place. You can come live with my family. We can work something out.”

“You…” Jade looks at him in disbelief, “You’d really do that?”

“I want to give you that sense of closure, Jade.” 

“That… that would be nice.” Jade wipes her eyes with her sleeve. Dmitry smiles at her.

“That’ll make us even.” 

Jade lets out a breathy chuckle at Dmitry’s words.

“You don’t need to worry about being even, you know.”

“Jade two years ago didn’t think so.” Dmitry teases lightly.

“Hey, c’mon, I’ve changed over the past two years.”

“You know that’s a lie.”

“Yep. I do.”


	6. thanatophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dmitry helps the freelancer extract the gold. He becomes familiar with the end of a gun.

Everything could go wrong in this high-risk of a heist.

Dmitry was a low-profile person, and so were his flights. He had never flown into a warzone before, so if he wasn’t careful, he wouldn’t be coming home. That’s why he was writing a letter for Anna he hoped she wouldn’t have to read as he waited in the helicopter’s hangar. 

“I found an envelope and a stamp for you.” the owner of the hangar complex pokes his head in, “You done with that yet?”

Dmitry nods as he finishes the letter, folding it as neat as he could so it could fit in the envelope. He hands the paper and pencil back to the owner, dipping his head in thanks.

“Alright, I’ll send this out shortly. Have a good flight.” he walks away, sealing the envelope after the paper is placed inside. Dmitry lets out a sigh, a weight being lifted off his chest. He must have sent it at just the right time too, because his radio suddenly goes off.

“DMI-, OFF- -GROUND! -NEED YOU!” Harvey’s voice cuts out while sending the message, but Dmitry knows fully well what he had meant. He climbs into the cockpit, briefly familiarizing himself with the new model, and heads out as quickly as possible towards the city. 

The helicopter is silent until he gets in range of the communications system everyone else in the team is using.

“THIS IS DMITRY. ETA ONE MINUTE.” he states into the headset, glancing at SWAT vans below him heading in the same direction. 

“THE FREELANCER IS AT THE TOP OF THE CONSTRUCTION SITE WITH THEIR HIRED GUNS. THEY’VE TAKEN OUT THE SNIPERS, YOU’RE CLEAR TO EXTRACT FROM THE HELIPAD.” Harvey makes himself clear through the radio. Dmitry spots the zone where six bags of gold await him. As he gets closer, he can see the freelancer and their teammates, but something feels off.

The freelancer jams a fresh magazine into their rifle, then turns to the three other hired mercenaries beside them. Before they can react, the magazine is emptied.

Dmitry goes pale at the sight. 

He has to force himself to lower the helicopter, letting the blood-covered freelancer haul the bags on board and hop on by themselves.

He felt like he was making a big, big mistake.

* * *

It’s one in the morning, seven hours after they carried out the heist. The humid air runs through Dmitry’s lungs as he takes a deep breath, getting out of the helicopter. He’s landed next to the warehouse rendezvous that they had agreed to meet at beforehand. The freelancer gets up, following Dmitry outside.

“You sure you weren’t followed?” Jade asks. Dmitry shakes his head.

“Good work out there, pal.” Harvey congratulates the freelancer. 

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s get this gold out.” they gesture to the helicopter.

The contents of all six bags are eventually unloaded and stacked neatly into a pile in the center of the warehouse. Dmitry has never seen so much gold in one place before. He can see the reflection of his sunken eyes on the surface of the metal.

“We actually pulled it off…” Jade remarks. They’re all gathered around the pile, staring in shock.

“Wow.” Dmitry manages to get out. This was his ticket out. His family would finally be safe.

“Well, I have to admit, you played your parts well.” Harvey says.

“We couldn’t have done it without you guys.” the freelancer adds, “Harvey, how long until you can get it fenced?”

There was a certain off-putting tone to their voices. Dmitry couldn’t tell why he was uneasy; he must have been imagining things. 

“We don’t have long until The Broker figures out that we betrayed them.” Jade speaks up from Dmitry’s side, “We need to move this and disappear fast.”

“You don’t need to worry about The Broker.” Harvey’s eyes meet Dmitry’s, dark, cold and calculating. A chill runs up Dmitry’s spine. Something was definitely wrong.

“What are you talking about?” Jade looks to Harvey. 

“The Broker isn’t real.” Harvey and the freelancer draw their pistols.

“SHIT-” Jade reaches for her pistol the moment Dmitry realizes what was going on.

The three bullets bite into his abdomen; a searing pain blooming in his entire body. He collapses to the ground, crying out from the unimaginable agony.

His vision fades in and out; blood quickly pools underneath him. 

_This couldn’t be happening._

Dmitry clutches both hands over his abdomen in a feeble attempt to staunch the blood flow. They’re soaked through in a matter of seconds. Blood trickles out between his fingers.

_Oh no. Oh no, no, no._

His vision is going blurry, but he manages to focus for a moment on Jade’s body in front of him. She lies on her back; her pistol has fallen out of her now-limp hand.

She’s completely still.

Tears stream down Dmitry’s face as he begins to sob. Every breath he takes sets his body alight with pain. 

_I can’t die._

An inhale. A flare of agony.

_I won’t make a widow out of my wife._

A second inhale. Another sharp, unimaginable pain.

_I won’t leave my daughter with no father._

A third inhale. He coughs out blood.

_I forgot to tell Anna that I loved her before I left yesterday._

A fourth, labored inhale. He can feel his body shutting down.

_I haven’t sung Natalia her lullaby tonight._

A fifth, short-lived inhale. His body goes numb. 

_I’m so cold._

The sixth breath doesn’t come. 


	7. beloved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The closure that Jade never got.

It’s the afternoon; Dmitry still hasn’t come home. Anna paces the living room; she’s an anxious, worrisome mess. Natalia draws on the floor beside her, unaware of her mother’s current temperament. 

There were a lot of things her husband couldn’t tell her. There were a lot of things she wanted to know. But it would be enough if he had warned her about his absence beforehand.

A wave of relief washes over her as she hears a car pull up to the curb in front of her house. She runs up to the window to get a closer look. 

It’s a police cruiser. 

Confusion adds on to her anxiety as a male police officer and a woman dressed rather formally exit the vehicle, making their way to her doorstep. The doorbell rings.

Anna cleans herself up, then goes to open the door.

“Hello?” 

“Hello, ma’am. Are you Anna Komolov?” the police officer asks. There’s no demand in his voice, or a tone that indicates she’s in any sort of trouble. 

“I am, yes.”

“This is Officer Andrew with Doctor June Hudson.” he presents his badge for a moment, “There’s some unfortunate news we have for you. May we come in?” 

Anna cautiously nods, opening the door wider and letting them inside. She leads them to the dining room, where they pull out chairs and take a seat. A million possibilities run through Anna’s head as she joins them.

“Your husband was shot this morning and has passed away.” 

And that was the moment where Anna’s heart utterly shattered.

She doesn’t hear the rest of the officer’s words as she breaks down into sobs, burying her face in her hands. 

There it was. The phrase she had feared the most the whole time she was married to Dmitry. 

Was.

Oh, what a funny way to say it now.

Natalia starts to cry, too. The doctor the police officer had brought along with him goes over to console the girl.

Anna lowers her head onto the table, defeated. The police officer stays with her in silence.

She wants to disappear. Her nails dig into her palm, turning her knuckles white and drawing blood as she shakes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Anna had just lost her soulmate. And she wasn’t even there to say goodbye. Her whole body aches as it’s wracked with sobs. The tears seem endless.

Eventually, they become less intense, but never fully stop. She tries to listen to what the doctor is telling her to do, but the world seems so foggy. So distant. As if it was all a bad dream that she hopes to wake up from soon.

Natalia’s crying just makes the hole in Anna’s heart deeper. She wishes that she could tell Natalia that everything was okay. 

But it wasn’t.

It wasn’t okay at all.

* * *

Anna wakes up. 

It’s been four days. Four sluggish, long days.

The right side of her bed is unnaturally cold. There’s too much blanket for her to use. Her head aches from dehydration. Natalia is asleep in her arms.

She musters enough energy to get out of bed, being careful not to wake her daughter. The house has become a mess. It discourages her from leaving her bedroom, but she forces herself to keep walking.

She’d take today one step at a time, starting with the little tasks.

Anna picks up a few things from the floor, throws trash on the kitchen counters away, and sits herself down to fill out a grief counseling form that the doctor had given her. 

She then leaves the house for the first time to check the mail.

Usually, there’d be nothing important, and she’d throw it straight in the recycling bin. But today, there’s only a single envelope.

The sender is listed as Dmitry Komolov.

Anna stares at the envelope for a while. Silent tears roll down her cheeks.

She eventually mustered the courage to run a thumb under the opening of the envelope, breaking the seal. A singular folded piece of ruled paper is inside. 

She opens it up. On the paper is a letter written in her husband’s distinct handwriting. Her eyes drift over the words as she begins to read.

_Anna, my beloved and cherished wife,_

_In a perfect world, you would never have to see this letter. However, it seems like that is not the case._

_I’m so sorry that this is the last you’re hearing of me. I’m so sorry for putting you through all this pain. I’m so sorry that I could never tell you anything whenever you asked. I’m so sorry for leaving you all alone in this sick, twisted world._

_However, maybe sick and twisted isn’t the right choice of words. Because you’re blatant evidence that there’s still goodness on this Earth._

_Remember back in middle school, where I was always so flustered to be around you, and could barely muster a conversation with you? You still were so compassionate to me anyway; the one boy that nobody wanted to talk to. You were always such a kind soul, and that’s what I love about you._

_Remember when we were teenagers, when I had told you I loved you and you didn’t believe me? Then, once you realized, you kissed me for the first time? You were always so bold, and that’s what I love about you._

_Remember the day I had proposed to you? I remember how stunning you looked that day; shedding joyful tears as you said yes to the question. I remember swooping you off your feet into a tight hug, only to tumble with you in my arms into the grass. Your laugh was like music to my ears, and your smile soothed my soul. It still does, to this day, and that’s what I love about you._

_Remember the day we found out we were having a daughter, and you had almost fainted? Despite that, you were still so happy that day. You couldn’t hold still for a single kiss because of how excited you were. You were never afraid to show your emotions like I was, and that’s what I love about you._

_Remember when we had to move to a new country? It was such a stressful chapter in our lives, with a new baby and little to no financial stability. But through it all, you persevered. You stood strong in the face of all the chaos happening around you._

_And that’s what I love about you, so, so much._

_Anna, I could go on forever about the fond memories we have together, but I would run out of paper. I know these next few weeks and months will be difficult for you, but you’re stronger than you think. Please don’t let my passing stop you from being an amazing, capable mother like you always have been._

_And since I haven’t told you enough, nor as many times as you deserve: I love you. I cherish you. I adore you. Oh, what I wouldn’t give to come back and kiss your beautiful face; to wipe away your tears for good._

_You mean the world to me, Anna. I’ll always be watching over you, forever and ever._

_Dmitry_

Anna can barely read the last few lines, the tears in her eyes clouding her vision. She sinks to her knees, clutching the piece of paper close to her chest as she silently cries.

It would be tough, but Anna would have to find a reason to get back on her feet eventually. 

But as Natalia joins her outside, curious as to why she wasn’t in bed when she had woken up, Anna realizes something. The young girl was Anna’s very own reason to keep going.

The blatant evidence that there’s still goodness on this Earth.


End file.
